


New Year, New Feelings

by JadeJem



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, F/M, I Will Go Down With This Ship, LadyNoir - Freeform, Miraculous Ladybug - Freeform, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square, Ship, adrienette - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 09:01:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13291527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeJem/pseuds/JadeJem
Summary: In which Adrien is a tortured soul, and Marinette is a busy gal.





	New Year, New Feelings

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, loves. Here we go again! This is actually an older piece of mine from last year!
> 
> Enjoy. :)

"Marinette! Honey, we need help down here!" Marinette startles awake at the sound of her parents in distress. It's like censors go off and just notify her that something is wrong.

Damn, being a superhero really makes you a lot more mentally active.

"Be down in a sec, Maman!" Marinette yells back groggily, quickly wiping the sleep from her eyes. She jumps down from her bed and pulls off her pajamas effortlessly. She scans her closet for her regular clothes when a red turtle-neck catches her eye. "It's New Years Eve, so why not?"

Since it's still cold outside, Marinette puts on black jeggings (jean-leggings), and a black winter coat compliments the outfit nicely. A red scarf with black polka-dots made by her brings a smile to her face as she wraps it around her neck. "Any special occasion?" Tikki flies up from her small bed behind Mari's computer and eyes Marinette with a mischievous smile.

Marinette shrugs. "It's New Years Eve. I kind of want to feel like a new person tomorrow, so I'm dressing up today!" she states enthusiastically.

"Marinette!" Marinette cringes at the sound of her panicked father. "Please come down here and work the register!"

"Coming!" She yanks the trapdoor open after she slips on a pair of fluffy brown boots, and stumbles down the stairs, Tikki in tow.

"Put me in your bag, Mari!" Tikki hisses, attempting to be quiet. The bluenette opens a small ladybug patterned bag adorning her hip, and Tikki flies in just as they stumble into the _very_ crowded bakery.

"Holy mother of cows." Marinette gapes before weaving through the crowd to get to the cash register. Her mother waves her over and points at the customers in front of her.

"Please take care of them for me!" She hurriedly runs into the kitchen where her husband probably is. Marinette sighs, and lets out a breath of relief when she finally gets to the cash register. _How many people want cake for parties?_

Apparently _hundreds_.

For a good portion of the cold December morning, Marinette slaves away over the register, working diligently with customers and money.

The clock strikes **3:00 PM** (she had woken up at **11:07 AM** ), and Marinette asks her parents for a break. They kindly agree, both too exhausted to deny their daughter. Her parents' boulangerie is practically empty now, only two people lingering around, barely holding a conversation while they eat their treats.

The fatigued bluenette pushes the door to the bakery open, and the freezing air hits her almost immediately. She greets the frosty wind with a smile, the cold instantly freezing her sweat and cooling her down.

Tikki pops her head out of Marinette's purse. "Where to now?"

Marinette looks from side to side frantically before lightly pushing Tikki's head down. "Stay low, Tikki! Alya's celebrating with her family today, so I don't really know where to go." Her eyes wander around until they fall upon the park—covered in a blanket of snow—across from her very own high school. For the most part, the park looks empty from what Marinette can see. "Hey, Tikki. Do you wanna build a snowman?"

"Mari, I am face-palming so hard right now."

Said girl giggles childishly before looking both ways and jay-walking across the street. 

"Wow! Look at all the snow!" Marinette squeals, spinning in circles the moment she enters the park. "It's so beautiful!"

**Meanwhile...**

"No, no, no. Signore, Adrien! Where is the spark?" the Italian photographer complains, his camera momentarily falling to his side.

Adrien yawns. He and his father had had an argument the previous night, so he had gone out as Chat Noir until dawn. "Sorry."

The cameraman sighs. "Look-a, I know you're-a tired. And it's-a cold, but I really need you-a to step up and be-a good model, okie?" His funny Italian accent almost brings a smile to Adrien's face. Almost.

"I'll try," Adrien mutters sleepily, his eyes already beginning to droop again.

"Ah, no, no! We need a flare, a sparkle, a—a girl!" The photographer exclaims, pointing at girl wearing black and red on the other side of the park. "Hey, you!"

The girl looks up, her dark-blue/black twin-tails swishing to and fro in the icy wind. She looks from side to side, before pointing at herself with a raised eyebrow. Adrien's eyes widen in recognition at the sight of his classmate, Marinette. "Marinette!" Her head snaps to him, and her eyes widen with realization.

She hurriedly runs over, black-spotted red scarf flowing in the wind. Adrien blushes at the reminder of Ladybug and recognizes how nice Marinette looks in red and black.

_Now that I think about it, she could easily pass as Ladybug..._

"U-um, hi!" Marinette jogs up to them, not even out of breath. Her eyes momentarily give the photographer a once-over before turning to meet Adrien's green emeralds. Her light sapphire-like eyes shine in the snowy glow, their beauty being a stark contrast to her porcelain skin.

Adrien has never noticed how beautiful Marinette is.

"Ah, hello. What is your-a name?" The photographer's voice brings Adrien out of his daze, and he looks at Marinette expectantly.

She looks between Adrien and the photographer, a light blush on her cheeks,."My name? Oh, my name i-is Marinette." She sounds nervous, but Adrien admires how she holds herself in a confident way.

"Miss Marinette, signore Adrien here-a needs an extra, and you-a would be-a perfect! Would you like-a to participate in the shoot?"

Her nervous glance moves from the photographer back to Adrien, as if asking if he's okay with her being in the shoot. He nods excitedly, and a bright smile lights up Marinette's face. "Sure!"

"Wonderful!" And the next four hours are spent goofing off in the snow. Adrien finds himself getting to know Marinette even better, and is enjoying being with her more than he thought he would.

Marinette was shy and flustered at first under the heavy gaze of the camera lens, but loosened up after awhile and just had fun being around Adrien.

The clock strikes **7:34 PM** , and Marinette acknowledges the fact that she should probably get back to the bakery to help her parents again.

"Miss Marinette-a, you-a are a natural-a model! I could-a organize something with one of-a the agencies and-a get you-a signed, if you-a really wanted."

Marinette blushes, completely flattered and flabbergasted. "Oh—I-I, ah that's r-really... Um..."

Adrien comes to her rescue. "Maybe another time." He turns to Marinette with a reassuring smile before saying, "Can I walk you home?"

The Italian photographer leaves with a smile on his face. "Ah, young-a love. Such-a beautiful thing."

"Oh, sure, Adrien!" Marinette internally fist-pumps when she doesn't stutter her response.

The walk is short, and Marinette lets out a groan when she sees the long line leading out of the bakery. "Yikes," Adrien chuckles, earning a small glare from Marinette while she tries not to smile.

The two mutter small apologies while pushing past people. Marinette grabs Adrien's hand—internally screaming all the while doing so—and tugs him into the bakery's kitchen.

Sabine turns to see her daughter and sighs in relief. "Marinette! Oh, thank god! Could you—" her eyes land on Adrien, and she looks between the two of them, a growing smirk curving her lips, "—two work in the kitchen while your father and I handle the customers? Wonderful, thank you!" Sabine scurries up to Tom and practically drags him out of the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, my mom didn't even ask if you were staying! It's okay, you can leave," Marinette apologizes sheepishly, looking at the floor.

"Nah, I'd love to help." Marinette lifts her head, hope sparkling in her cerulean eyes. "Besides, you can't handle all of this by yourself." Adrien laughs when Marinette shoots him a blank look, showcasing how unamused she is.

The bluenette tosses him an apron with pink cupcakes on it. "Fine. Let's see what you got, blondie." She internally screams giddily as he blushes when she smirks.

***   *   ***

"Whew!" Marinette plops down on the couch at **11:48 PM** , stretching her sore muscles.

Adrien practically crawls up the stairs and collapses dramatically. "How long have we been working for?"

"Too long." Marinette points at him in acknowledgement before yawning. "I can't believe your father is okay with you being gone so long."

"Oh, shit!" Adrien jumps up like there's a fire under his ass and pulls his phone out. "57 missed calls?! Come on!"

Marinette covers her mouth with her hand. "Oh my gosh, Adrien, I'm so sorry! This... this is all my fault!"

The blonde banana looks up. "No! No, Marinette, this is not your fault. I'm so glad I got to spend the day with you."

Blush creeps up Marinette's neck and into her cheeks. "R-really?"

Adrien approaches her and puts a hand on her shoulder. "Yes. You know what? I'm going to start the year by your side."

"Oh—okay. Are you sure? You could be in a lot of trouble." Anxiety fills Marinette at the thought, but Adrien quickly brushes away her worries.

"Yes, I'm sure. I need to start my year off well. Who else better to help me with that than you?" Not even Ladybug can seem to compete with Marinette in this category in Adrien's mind.

If Marinette was blushing before...

"It's 11:53. I know a great place to watch fireworks from!" Marinette exclaims, attempting to cover up her blush. The bluenette races up the stairs leading to her bedroom. Adrien chuckles lowly before hurrying up after her.

He pushes the trapdoor open and scans the room until he sees another trapdoor leading up to the balcony shut. Adrien climbs up into Marinette's pink, pink room and shuffles towards the ladder leading out of the room and up to balcony.

Marinette watches the sky, a few measly fireworks going off before the designated time. The sun had long ago disappeared, and in its place is a full moon with billions of stars spotting the sky.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Marinette asks softly, aware of Adrien's presence coming up to stand next to her.

Said boy peers down at the short, blue-haired girl with the dreamy look in her eyes before saying, "Yeah... I guess it is."

There's a pause before one of them speaks again.

"Adrien... I know you don't know me that well, but there is something I've always wanted to tell you... I just... I don't know how to do it." Marinette looks up at him, fear and hope shimmering in her bluebell orbs.

Silence fills the air for a couple beats, before Adrien puts his arm on the rail and leans on it thoughtfully. "Huh. Well, if I were you, I'd just come right out and say whatever it is you want to say. But...," Adrien looks down and smiles to himself, "that's just...," he looks to the side and meets Marinette's all too familiar gaze, "me." His body is suddenly on fire, his insides burning with a strong realization that just hit him like a freight train. His fingers and toes tingle with the feeling and the truth of it all, and the most exhilarating emotion courses through him.

All doubt in his mind disappears when she raises her eyebrow. That same expression; he's seen it a million times. Those eyes; he's seen them a million times, both in real life and in his dreams. That smile; he's seen it a million times in a fleeting memory and moment.

_Why couldn't I see it before?_

His heart pounds like a drum, the numbing sensation feeling like a thousand bombs are going off every other moment. "I... I do know you," he whispers quietly, his heart tearing at the seams, almost as if bursting from love.

A confused look overrules her serene expression. "What? But—"

His calloused finger gently shushes her, and the skin on her lips feels hot. Very, very hot.

Adrien knows he should probably pull back, but he can't seem to find it in himself to do so.

_I want to touch her._

His mind attempts to scream reason into him, but his heart doesn't want to listen.

_She's hidden behind that mask for too long: confusing my emotions as her civilian identity, and playing with them as her alternate ego. I want to claim her, because she's mine no matter what, and I've known it from the start._

"I know you better than you think, Ladybug."

Fireworks go off in her chest as he pulls them together, their lips connecting in a more than passionate kiss. And then _literal_ fireworks go off.

**Author's Note:**

> Xoxo, J.


End file.
